The UP Presidential Search Committee is scheduled to meet this month to choose finalists for preliminary interviews, according to a Jan. 25 campus-wide email from Thomas Arndorfer, chair of the Board of Regents. This is the fourth step in a six step process, according to the Presidential Search Process website.
The committee will also be meeting with Associated Students of the University of Portland (ASUP) on Monday, Feb. 14, according to ASUP President Emma Fuller.
“To date we have received many inquiries, nominations, and applications from qualified candidates, and we are pleased with the progress of the Search,” Arndorfer’s email said.
Despite being in the late stages of the process, Arndorfer announced an opportunity for UP community members to submit names of qualified candidates. To nominate someone for the position, candidate names should be sent to Laird Desmond at laird.desmond@agbsearch.com by Feb. 16 to ensure full consideration. The nomination will remain confidential, according to Arndorfer.
The consulting firm AGB Search is working in collaboration with the committee to find qualified and diverse applicants. Ads were placed nationwide and 1,000 nomination request letters were sent to higher education leaders.
UP is one of several colleges and universities seeking a new president. Lewis & Clark College announced its new president on Jan. 26. Robin Holmes-Sullivan will be the college’s first female and first Black president who was promoted from vice president for student life and dean of students at Lewis & Clark. This was decided after a nationwide search.
The committee participated in a workshop on inclusive hiring led by Associate Provost for International Education, Diversity and Inclusion, Eduardo Contreras. At their most recent meeting they started the applicant review process based on the University’s Presidential Leadership Profile — a document put together by AGB to recruit a “qualified and diverse pool of candidates,” according to the website.
The Presidential Search Committee’s next meeting will be in mid-February, according to Arndorfer.
Sophia Truempi is a reporter for The Beacon. She can be reached at truempi22@up.edu.
